Mike Allen

Barack Obama’s anguish, Jay Z’s new, less-hyphenated look and Lac-Mégantic gets a little love

Two Conservative MPs who won’t be sending out the Trudeau flyers

After two proposed amendments were passed and one defeated, C-377 passed the House last night by a vote of 147-135. Five Conservatives voted against: Brent Rathgeber, Mike Allen, Patricia Davidson, Ben Lobb and Rodney Weston.

Megan Leslie, asked yesterday about Mr. Trudeau’s shouted profanities.

Michael Chong’s motion on Question Period reform is seconded by no less than 20 MPs. Those seconders include 14 Conservatives (Mike Allen, Dona Cadman, Maxime Bernier, Larry Miller, Gord Brown, Nina Grewal, James Rajotte, John Cummins, Peter Braid, Rick Casson, Greg Thompson, Merv Tweed, Brian Storseth and Bruce Stanton), four Liberals (Frank Valeriote, Martha Hall Findlay, Glen Pearson and Siobhan Coady) and two New Democrats (Denise Savoie and Brian Masse).

Excluding those born outside Canada, the following Conservative MPs have lived, studied or worked outside the country.

The Conservatives made a minor fuss today about the New Brunswick school principal who decided—a year ago, mind you—to stop playing the national anthem before class each day. 

“It is a song that belongs to each and every Canadian,” proclaimed Mike Allen in the House.

“I was very saddened to hear that the principal of a New Brunswick school has banned the singing of O Canada,” moped Tilly O’Neill-Gordon.

“As a Canadian and a proud Canadian I believe that we should celebrate our country,” Keith Ashfield explained to reporters.

All of which is very edifying. Although, it would perhaps be easier to take their noble defense of our national song seriously if the party hadn’t just dispatched a press release that inserts a previously undisclosed apostrophe into the anthem’s title.

CONSERVATIVE PARTY OF CANADA CALLS FOR RETURN OF O’CANADA AT NEW BRUNSWICK SCHOOL 

Not that anyone’s currently around to hold a vote. Nor that there could be a vote—or at least one that could matter. But for those of you keeping score at home, here’s a breakdown of those MPs who’ve spoken publicly about the appointment of Dr. Morgentaler.